A Group of Lads and The Dame
by Trins xxx
Summary: A series of one-shots that looks at the lads that became known as the Howling Commandos, and The Dame that worked alongside them. "Everyone knew that you weren't allowed to look Agent Carter up and down more than once, not if you wanted your man-bits pain free and fully functional. So in the name of protecting Steve, Bucky was going to have The Chat with Agent Carter..."
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer : **I don't own Captain America, Agent Carter or Marvel.

 **Author's Note** **:** A little look into the lads that became known as the Howling Commandos, and The Dame that worked alongside them. Peggy/Steve with a good helping of Bucky and the other lads.

Hope you guys like this. Let me know what you think - love it or hate it.

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 **A Group of Lads and The Dame**

Bucky had, of course, _heard_ of Agent Carter long before he'd met her. He'd heard of her in different ways – he'd heard of _Agent Carter_ , spoken with respect and, occasionally, a touch of fear by his superiors. It hadn't occurred to Bucky that this _Agent_ Carter was the same as _Miss Peggy Carter_ , spoken of lewdly and sometimes with disturbingly graphic description by the junior-most cohorts. And then there was _Peggy_ that Stevie spoke of, dreamy eyes and soppy expression all over his face. He'd clearly not just fallen, but fallen hard for this dame and she seemed fine, she did. Bucky was worldly enough to disregard most of the animadversions cast her way after the first time he met her. But that didn't mean he respected or liked her.

The respect came pretty damn quickly. _Agent Carter_ was sent in on an intelligence recon mission. Bucky only knew because Steve had loitered outside normal hearing distance with his well beyond normal hearing. Bucky had, very carefully, not looked at Steve because they all knew what female officers did to gather information. It wasn't nice. It wasn't pretty. Bucky was even fair enough to accept that most of the women didn't do it out of enjoyment, it was patriotism. But still, he didn't like the thought of Agent Carter sleeping with some man to gain intelligence.

The men who were soon to become the Howling Commandos were gathered around, plying Steve with drinks in the hopes that he might at least get distracted, though it had looked increasingly unlikely that he'd get drunk.

She'd walked into the bar, knee grazed, bruises here and there, one particular blue beauty blooming on her left cheek and a slight limp in her still arresting walk.

'Gentlemen,' she'd nodded at them (at Steve) and sat on a table by herself.

Bucky and the rest of the men had followed Steve automatically as he'd wondered over.

'How was intelligence gathering?' He'd said as a conversation opener and, Christ, this was braver than going in single-handedly behind enemy lines.

'It was more of a 'stealing back what was stolen from us' mission, really,' she'd said with complete sang-froid. 'One of our _men_ got a little bit besotted and had a bad case of loose lips.'

'Did you run into any trouble?' Steve continued in the same polite vein, amusement starting to crinkle the corners of his eyes.

'Well, she'd managed to give it to one of the soldiers. Fortunately, there were only five of them when I'd caught up to them. Not very well trained, I'm afraid. It might just have been a bad tendency to underestimate me.' She had given a shrug, casual as you please. 'It didn't take more than five minutes. At most.'

' _You_ disabled five soldiers in five minutes?' An incredulous voice had drifted over to them, a kid who couldn't have seen much action yet, sneering at her and openly ogling her (admittedly very distracting) bosom.

'No,' she had retorted. 'In _under_ five minutes,' and then she'd taken a sip of her whiskey, and yeah, after that, none of the soon to be Howling Commandos had any trouble with giving her respect.

It still didn't mean that Bucky liked her.

This was why, just before their first mission since being saved, they were drinking drinks at the same bar, waiting.

Sure enough, Agent Carter entered with the usual sway in her hips, and her eyes soon found Steve's and, as last time, he eventually, _oh so casually_ , went over and joined her at her table.

It was years of protecting Steve, of looking after him and having his back, years of protecting him from bullies and creeps, from the depression and not-enough-food, from hurt both physical and emotional, that was prompting him to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Because everyone knew that you weren't allowed to look Agent Carter up and down more than once, not if you wanted your man-bits pain free and fully functional. So in the name of protecting Steve, Bucky was going to accept the possibility of horribly painful and maybe malfunctioning man-bits and have a chat with Agent Carter, _The Chat_ where he assessed what her intentions truly were and whether she was good enough for Steve.

His chance came when Steve had to pop to the Gents' Room. Seeing his chance, Bucky sauntered over, as if he wasn't shitting himself right now.

'Sergeant Barnes,' Agent Carter's voice drifted over before he'd reached the table, though she had her back to him.

'Agent Carter, mind if I sit here?' He could've kicked himself for asking. Should have just sat down, because what if she says no? He did his best to keep his face entirely neutral – he'd been taken Prisoner of War and experimented on by Hydra bastards. Why was he, then, so scared of this lady?

'Be my guest,' she'd said after a second during which her eyes had searched his.

'So Captain America, helluva guy,' Bucky wanted to kick himself all over again.

'Yes, Captain Rogers certainly is.'

It could've been his imagination but he thought she was looking rather amused.

'Yeah, the ladies seem to love his bravery,' he tried again, fighting the embarrassed red flush that was threatening his face.

'Yes, they certainly do,' she snapped back instantly, and this was good. This was very good. She sounded just short of jealous, which meant that she cared enough to _be_ jealous.

'He's a very brave guy, women love brave guys,' he said, trying to twist his lips into a smile that felt more like a sleazy smirk and shit, that was _not_ what he was aiming for. Without thought, he drew his knees in together, just a little.

'Indeed,' she said, both eyebrows raised and how could she look so knowing when her face was remarkably blank? She took a long, slow sip of her whiskey, drew the silence longer while she watched him. At last, she spoke (because Bucky had damn near no idea about what to say next).

'My favourite moment was when he jumped onto a grenade to try and protect those around him.'

'What,' the yelp escaped Bucky, his eyes suddenly frantically searching for Stevie because Stevie _would_ be that god damned noble and stupid.

'Relax, Sergeant, it was clearly a dummy grenade and he's obviously fine.' This time, she did openly smirk at him.

'It's what finally convinced Phillips that Erskine and I were right about Steve,' she nodded into her glass.

'Right about..?' Oh. 'Oh…'

'Right about choosing Steve for the serum,' Agent Carter explained unnecessarily.

'I like you, ma'am,' Bucky decided to tell her bluntly, because she liked _Steve_ , not Captain fucking America, squeezing his knees all the more tightly together just as a precaution.

She returned his smile with one of her own. 'I think I might like you too, Sergeant, which is why I'll do you a favour.' She leaned in closer to him. 'I won't tell Steve about this terribly awkward conversation.'

'Thank you, ma'am,' eyes a little wide, he glanced briefly at the Gents' room before scuttling back to his comrades, grateful to have his man-parts pain free and in working condition.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer** **:** I don't own Marvel or any of their movies or TV shows. I am, however, a big of them.

 **Author's Note** **:** So... Yes, these stories can somewhat be read as slightly jointed or disjointed one-shots, but I've actually got a canon-compliant plot. It is sped historically consistent too, but to be honest, I'll be playing fast and loose with it. If or when I finish this story, it will be leading directly onto an AU though, a rather Peggy-centric AU with good big doses of Steve, Bucky, Howard, Colonel Phillips and Pinky Pinkerton. But regardless, I hope you continue to enjoy these stories. This one is a little less humorous than the first and the one after this will be rather dark and will definitely be referencing the more horrible aspects of World War II. I will put suitable warnings up in the Author's Note in the next chapter.

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 **A Group of Lads and The Dame**

Thin tendrils of chatter and laughter drifted towards them, but it was quiet enough that any sound would have carried in the soft Tunisian air. But oh, it hurt. It hurt _so damned much_ but it would be suicide to let the mirth bubble through his lips. Poor Steve. There was a very real danger that Bucky may well end up falling in love with Agent Carter.

They had arrived in Tunisia to reinforce the American and Allied forces that had come under attack and they had done it admirably, at least well enough to halt any further retreat. Two days later Steve had finally been offered an actual proper mission. There had been a battle to their west, the British First Army suffering losses, and there had been rumours of trucks travelling to the Italian base nearby. It could be prisoners of war, it could equally be supplies and if it was the latter, sabotage would work greatly to their advantage before it could bolster the Axis forces and their morale. If not a victory, it would still benefit them. Accordingly, Colonel Phillips had offered the mission of reconnaissance to Steve and another officer of his choosing. Bucky had volunteered immediately, of course, but apparently a shoulder in a sling and a badly swollen ankle deemed him unsuitable, much to his indignation. Dum-Dum had volunteered afterwards, more than happy to jaunt behind enemy lines again and even happier to follow Steve anywhere. They were both there, on the verge of setting off for their mission whilst Bucky had been trying for a Hail Mary to accompany them. Colonel Phillips was there to see them officially off, Agent Carter was there to see them off too (mostly because she was head over heels for the blonde idiot but like hell she'd ever admit to that) and Howard Stark was there, seemingly just to annoy Steve.

It had all been normal protocol and then Steve had opened his mouth and talked about fucking _fondue_ , whatever the hell that was.

'We barely have food enough and you want to take me for _fondue?_ ' Agent Carter was professional enough to keep her voice down, but not the best training in the world could keep her face a neutral mask, bemusement shading her face into something far more human than Bucky had ever previously seen it to be.

'Besides, everyone knows the best fondue is in Switzerland,' Howard bloody Stark chimed in, just to stir things, if his over delighted face suggested anything.

Steve spared him a glare before turning his eyes back towards the beauty before him. 'You seemed like such a fan of it,' he said with a stubbornness that Bucky was far too familiar with. This wouldn't end well, he could've told Stevie that, but how the hell was he supposed to know that literally on the point of departure, he would try to ask Agent Carter out for _fondue_.

'It's bread and cheese,' Agent Carter spoke in a despairing, bewildered voice.

'Exactly. We can grab some bread and cheese when I return. We've got bread and cheese here,' Steve's stubbornness was working overtime.

'It's melted cheese though,' Howard Stark interrupted, entirely unhelpfully.

'We can melt the cheese,' Steve insisted.

'But it's better in Switzerland,' Howard whined.

'But I don't even like fondue,' Agent Carter protested, looking wildly between the two men in confusion.

'Oh but you just haven't been to the right places. I'll take you sometime. Tomorrow?' Howard cheerfully put his arm around the agent, but Bucky caught the quick glance he threw in Steve's direction. He wasn't the only one, evidently.

'Howard,' Agent Carter spoke sweetly. Steve scowled but Colonel Phillips did nothing to hide his growing smirk and Bucky felt suddenly wary. 'Do you fancy your appendages as they are?' She waited until he looked at her. 'Unless you enjoy a dislocated arm, I'd move them both away _right now_.'

It was funny as hell watching Howard Stark move away so quickly that he stumbled over his own feet. Dum-Dum was now watching Agent Carter with a besotted look and Bucky was sure he was mirroring it. Lord, what a lady.

Steve's expression had lightened considerably and if Agent Carter's expression was softer than it had been, nobody would dare comment on it.

'Now Captain, if you could go on this mission and complete it successfully, I would be grateful. Maybe grateful enough to not inflict bread and melted cheese on you,' she threw him an arch look.

'The _reason_ Howard is here is because he's created a portable recording device. It's smaller than any that we have, and apparently better. We thought you might test it on this mission.'

'And when you return, I might even let you buy me a glass of whiskey,' she whispered as she stepped close to him and handed the device over, her eyes lingering for only a moment on his, and my god, how could Steve be stupid enough to think Howard Stark had the slightest chance when she looked at him _like that_?

His back straightened, his eyes were bright and when he spoke, ready for departure, he was still looking at Agent Carter rather than Colonel Phillips.

'Off you go then, soldiers, and come back successful,' Colonel Phillips ordered them off, standing shoulder by shoulder with Agent Carter and Howard Stark. Bucky joined them, all four watching as the two soldiers gradually disappeared into the dark. Colonel Phillips was the first walk away.

'They'll be back,' he told Agent Carter gruffly.

'Of course they will,' she told him loftily. 'I trained Captain Rogers myself.' Bucky stayed for a little while longer before he started walking away too. He'd give them three days before he'd go searching for them.

They spoke quietly but Bucky still heard them, Agent Carter and Howard Stark talking as friends.

'When are you going to take him out for dinner?'

'I thought it was meant to be the reverse, Howard,' she answered coolly.

'If you wait for him to take you out, Peggy, you'll be waiting for seventy years,' he'd retorted but it hadn't sounded rude or disrespectful.

The silence was companionable. 'I've been thinking of creating a panoply, maybe metal, for the soldiers. Don't think I'll be able to do it for all of them but maybe his team… I was thinking red, white and blue to match him, or maybe red and gold. Something cheerful.'

There was another silence before she spoke. 'I don't like the thought of Captain Rogers' and a team for him. They'll be going on the most dangerous missions… It doesn't feel right.'

'If it's not them, it'll be someone else Peggy, someone less able, less skilful.'

Bucky had continued to walk away.

Until, 'The _fourth_ Infantry, Howard…' Peggy had said, voice tight and strained.

'I know,' was all Howard had said and Bucky had the distinct impression that this was personal.

Of course, Bucky didn't know it but it would lead to Agent Carter getting shot, another member joining their Commando team and Howard Stark being almost tolerable. Mostly, he'd determined that if Steve didn't get his head straightened, he'd fall for the dangerous Agent Carter himself.


End file.
